Can I Fix It?

Can I Fix It?

OK, self-disclosure time – I know some of you are guilty of this! You are driving on an open road and you see a car stopped ahead on the side of the road and there are emergency lights nearby, do you slow down and gawk? I know some of you do, but in reality – can you fix it? “If you can’t fix it or you can’t solve it – don’t stop!” That statement applies to many of life’s situations (or church situations), not just driving. Are you a fixer of people or situations? Do you have a response for every challenge others are faced with? Are you the first one to offer your solution at church council meetings? Do you quickly recount “the way it used to be” when the subject of decreasing worship attendance comes up? Are you fully informed and praying about General Conference 2020 (GC 2020), or are you telling others what needs to be done? If you resemble these remarks, consider the following:

God doesn’t need my
help. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in
all things God works for the good of those who love Him and who have been
called according to His purpose.” God
has a plan and a purpose for those things that come into our life and He is
working them out, not me! I can pray for
you, but I can’t fix your problem or your situation. Maybe I should listen to others during church
council meetings, because I probably don’t have all the answers. Instead of fixating on “the way it used to
be,” shouldn’t I focus on reality and suggest ‘out of the box’ approaches of
showing Christ to others. Maybe I need
to do some more prayer and research before I tell everyone else how GC 2020
delegates should vote. If I intervene
and try to “fix” the situation, I could be interrupting the work of God.

When the time is right,
growth will happen. It takes a long time
for some of us to recognize the change we or others need to make. The path to right living is at best an up and
down journey. I may do well this week
but next week or month that might change.
We’ve all learned the value of spiritual growth in our own lives and we
want everyone to experience it the same way.
However, it is always at God’s timing which is always the right time for
others. I can’t fix it, but I can make
it more difficult by inserting myself into what God is doing. Remember, even if I can’t fix it or solve it,
I need to press on in doing good for myself and others, with the Holy Spirit as
my guide and prayer as my resource. (Excerpts
courtesy of www.leadlikejesus.com)

Welcome to the Bi-District

We are the Arlington and Alexandria Districts of the United Methodist Church.

Often referred to as the Bi-District, the Arlington and Alexandria Districts work closely together and share office space and some staff. We are located at 3600 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030. Arlington and Alexandria are two of the 16 districts in the Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.